Of Love and Sacrifice
by linesfade
Summary: Love is made up of giveandtake. Will Briseis give up her life in Troy to be with the man she loves? Will Achilles give up his life as a warrior to live a life of love instead of a life of war?


**disclaimer:** I do not own, nor do I have anything to do with the film TROY or Warner Bros. I am making nothing off of this. Also, I _do_ use some spellings from the copy of The Iliad that I purchased at Barnes & Noble, so if something looks misspelled, _please _don't tell me that in a review. If something else is misspelled, however, do let me know. I like to pride myself on my spelling, but even my fingers make mistakes every now and then. ;)   
  
**summary:** (Remember that touching little scene in Achilles' hut with Briseis? This is _my _extension on it.) Love is made up of give-and-take. Will Briseis give up her life in Troy to be with the man she loves? Will Achilles give up his life as a warrior to live a life of love?

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**Of Love and Sacrifice**

  
"Briseis! Briseis!" A young maid came running up behind me. I could hear her bare feet padding along the concrete floor of Apollo's temple. "My Lady! Briseis!"   
  
"Shh, child," I whispered as I shifted my eyes from Apollo's likeness, cast of solid gold, to the girl's face. She was sixteen, maybe younger, and freckles dotted her cheeks. Her hair was unruly: dark tangled curls framed her face where she wore an impatient expression, and excitement danced in her blue eyes. One day she would become a beautiful woman and brighten a Trojan man's life, but I never would. I had taken a vow of chastity. I had chosen to love only the Gods. "This temple is sacred. What is it you seek of me?"   
  
She gave an apologetic bow and looked up at Apollo. The girl grew quiet for a moment, apologizing to Apollo perhaps, before she spoke again.   
  
"My Lady, King Priam has sent me to fetch you!" She spoke hurriedly. "Your cousins have arrived! They have returned from Sparta!"   


…

  
"Briseis. Briseis, wake up," A strong hand shook my shoulder and pushed the hair back from my face. A pair of chapped lips were pressed to my forehead.   
  
"Achilles," I smiled, still half asleep as I tried to force my eyes open. I blinked twice in an effort to focus on his face. The first thing that I saw were a pair of blue eyes that looked happy; so unlike the eyes of the warrior that had first been there when I had met him ten years ago.   
  
Ever since the Myrmidons had ceased fighting, Achilles had grown loveable. Their shields, their grieves, their helmets, their armor, all had become bleak and tarnished, but Achilles had gone from warrior to lover and I…I had gone from being a Priestess to being Achilles' prize.   
  
"Did you sleep well?" He inquired. It seemed an odd query, especially coming from the man who had just woken me up.   
  
"I dreamt," was my short reply. I knew Achilles' mind was on something other than how well either of us had slept since our last 'rendezvous.' "What is it, Achilles?"   
  
"I have been thinking…" He spoke and then grew almost pensive as if to prove his statement.   
  
"About what, my love?" I raised an eyebrow at the Greek soldier I shared a bed with.   
  
"Home," he replied quickly. "Phthia, my mother…among other things."   
  
A stiff breeze whisked itself through the encampment and into Achilles' hut. It carried with it the salty musk of Poseidon's seas and it ruffled my hair and caused goose bumps to rise upon my bare flesh. Achilles' hand smoothed the skin of my arms and took my hands in his. I wondered if he was thinking the same thing that I was.   
  
"The tide would be perfect tomorrow," he spoke quietly. "for sailing home."   
  
My stomach rose into my throat. Surely he wouldn't leave me here all alone at the mercy of Agamemnon…not after…   
  
I swallowed the feeling and smiled at him. "Am I still your captive?"   
  
"You're my guest," Achilles smiled back at me.   
  
"In Troy, guests can leave whenever they want."   
  
Achilles gazed at me questioningly. "Then we should leave."   
  
My eyes grew wide and a smile stuck to my face.   
  
"Would you leave this war behind?" I asked, and watched as the thoughts and emotions flickered over his face.   
  
"Would you leave Troy?" he spoke after a momentary pause, and I was left to ponder _my_ answer this time. My eyes fell to his chest as I wondered what answer my mind would yield.   
  
If I left Troy, I would likely never see my cousins, Paris and Hector again. I would never see Andromache, Hector's wife, or their son again. I would never again see the inside of Apollo's temple and most of all, I would never again see my Uncle Priam, King of Troy.   
  
"Would you give up this life, Achilles? Would you make this great sacrifice…for me? To live this life with me by your side?" A pleading look was in my eyes as I posed this question, and Achilles placed a feather-light kiss upon my brow.   
  
"For you, Briseis of Troy, I would give up every blessing that the Gods have ever bestowed upon me."   
  
"Everything?" I was in disbelief, and I think that my eyes gave my every thought away.   
  
"Everything," he assured me before pressing his lips to mine once again. "Now sleep. Morning will come sooner."   
  
And I did. I fell asleep to Achilles running his hands through my hair and over my bare flesh, and with the image of his smiling face steadfast in my mind. 


End file.
